Vice President Kamala Harris has sparked debate by avoiding formal media interviews since announcing her presidential nomination. As she continues to gain momentum in the polls, CNN's Erin Burnett and a panel of media experts question whether this strategy will prove effective in the long run.
CNN's Erin Burnett has raised a pertinent question regarding Vice President Kamala Harris's media strategy: Should she continue to avoid formal interviews? Harris has gone 32 days without holding a press conference or giving a formal interview since emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee. This has led to speculation about whether she is intentionally distancing herself from the media scrutiny that comes with such a high-profile campaign.
While Harris has engaged in brief press gaggles and off-the-record conversations with reporters on her campaign plane, she has otherwise kept the media at bay. Despite this, she has received overwhelmingly positive media coverage, suggesting that her strategy may be working for the time being.
Kamala Harris's Media Strategy: Ignore or Engage?
A panel of experts on CNN, including media personality Charlamagne Tha God, liberal commentator Angela Rye, and ABC News' Jon Karl, discussed the pros and cons of Harris's approach. Charlamagne argued that Harris's focus on on-the-ground campaigning without media distractions has been effective thus far. He believes that her strategy allows her to connect with voters on a personal level and avoids potential pitfalls associated with media interviews.
"I think what she's been doing has worked because you know what she's been doing is hitting the ground," said Charlamagne. "Sometimes, you know – not sometimes, all the time when you're actually on the ground shaking hands, you know, kissing babies, actually touching people, that goes a long way."
Kamala Harris's Media Strategy: Ignore or Engage?
However, Angela Rye countered that Harris is still having conversations with journalists, albeit off-camera. She believes that Harris is carefully managing her public image by engaging with reporters in both on-the-record and off-the-record settings.
"Folks are spending a lot of time talking about what she's doing on the camera," said Rye. "There's also a behind the cameras side. And I think one thing that's very consistent about Kamala Harris is you can best believe she's having conversations. She's going to have them on air, and she certainly having them off air, and there's no gap between those two."
Kamala Harris's Media Strategy: Ignore or Engage?
Jon Karl, who interviewed Harris recently, agreed that it is unusual for a presidential nominee to avoid media interviews. He suggested that Harris may be trying to limit her exposure to potential gaffes or missteps that could hurt her campaign.
"It's the bottom of the ninth inning, right?" said Charlamagne. "Like, I feel like she should be any and everywhere, you know, having these conversations."
Ultimately, the effectiveness of Harris's media strategy remains to be seen. If she continues to gain momentum in the polls, her approach may prove to be a successful departure from traditional campaign strategies. However, if she faces increasing criticism or challenges from her opponents, she may need to reconsider her current approach to media engagement. As the campaign progresses, Harris's media strategy will undoubtedly be a subject of ongoing debate and scrutiny.
